


Feathers

by Skydriane



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28975050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skydriane/pseuds/Skydriane
Summary: Some people are scared of snakes, others are terrified of tarantulas but Sarah Williams was a little different. She was freakishly flipped out by... feathers. White and tan feathers to be exact.
Relationships: Jareth & Sarah Williams
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Labyrinth or its characters.

Some people are scared of snakes, others are terrified of tarantulas, but Sarah Williams was a little different. She was freakishly flipped out by... feathers. White and tan feathers to be exact.

According to her family, it all started suddenly when she was fifteen years old. She was walking to school when suddenly she ran back inside the house blabbering something about an owl. Her stepmother went outside to investigate but only found a feather on the sidewalk. After letting Sarah calm down she drove her to school.

But that wasn't the end of it.

Sarah would jump every time she thought she heard or saw an owl. A flash of white in the trees caused her to hyperventilate. Even the fake horned owl on her neighbor's porch gave her the creeps. She felt like she was going crazy. Her parents tried to get her to visit a psychiatrist. It didn't help that a few kids at school discovered her phobia and began hiding feathers in her stuff. One time they dropped a white feather on her during a test. She jumped so high that she knocked over her chair. Mr Hudson had given her detention for disturbing the class.

But the worst was a spring day about three years later when she had been reading under the oak tree that she loved. A small white feather landed on to her page from above. Scrambling away she saw a pale heart shaped face peeking out of a hollow in the tree. A barn owl had taken residence. Sarah fled the park as though fleeing for her life. Her sanctuary had been breached. Was nothing sacred?

...

A few weeks later Sarah was putting Toby to bed, the beautiful spring weather had turned nasty and the wind and rain were slashing against the window. Lightning flashed and Toby jumped, eyes wide. For Sarah, storms brought back memories she'd rather not think about. Despite her own nervousness she tried to calm her brother. "It's okay Toby, it's only a storm." The thunder crashed very loudly and Sarah jumped.

Four and a half year old Toby took her hand and regarded her sagely. "It's only thunder Sarah."

Sarah had to smile at her little brother's attempts to assure her. As she finished tucking him in Toby squeezed Lancelot, a well-loved teddybear. "Sarah, don't forget my story!"

She settled herself on the edge of the bed. "Okay, what kind of story?"

He looked at her expectantly. "A story about goblins!"

Sarah almost tumbled off the bed. "What?!"

"Yeah, Tommy's big brother is reading a book that has goblins and a goblin king and dwarves and elves. Sounds cool!" He was so engrossed in the idea that he didn't notice the growing horror on her face.

"Ah!" For a second there Sarah was about to have a heart attack, wondering where Adrian had gotten a book like hers. But when Toby mentioned elves, she knew what book it was.

Clearing her throat she tried to dissuade him. "I think that story is a bit long for tonight."

Toby leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "Please, a little story? about goblins?" He gave her his best impression of puppy dog eyes.

Sarah sighed and tried to think of something harmless that could assuage her brother. Definitely nothing mentioning a certain glittery monarch. "Okay... once upon a time there was a little goblin that couldn't find his hat..."

...

The next morning was Saturday and Irene had made blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. The storm had cleared and the sunshine called to both Sarah and Toby. Irene saw them both longingly looking out the window and suggested. "Why don't you both go to the park today?"

Toby bounced in his seat. "Yeah!

Sarah questioned. "I thought you wanted me to keep job hunting."

Irene shrugged. "You can do it later, I can see that Toby needs to run around a bit and I need to do some errands."

After breakfast Toby almost pulled her arm out of its socket dragging Sarah down to the park. She had been avoiding it ever since finding the owl. Although logically she knew that it wasn't the same owl that she had encountered three years before she couldn't help the feeling of trepidation as she approached.

The rain had left everything green and sparkling, the sun had already dried the last traces of the rain. Toby dropped her arm and ran down the path and out of her sight. She followed but stopped suddenly, chest tightening in panic, in the middle of the path there was a white and tan feather. She scanned the park looking for any sight of Toby. Not seeing any she called out worriedly. "Toby?"

No answer.

"Toby!" Her voice was tinged with panic.

"Look here Sarah!" Sarah scanned the area and finally spotted him, waving from the branches of a fallen tree.

It was the old knarled oak tree that she used to love reading under, knocked down from the storm. Approaching the tree, Sarah froze, there were pale feathers scattered on the ground. Sarah backed away from the tree and called out. "Come on Toby, get down from there! Let's go see if there's a soccer game today."

Toby's head appeared among the leaves. "Sarah, listen!"

Sarah did stop and listen and at first heard nothing.

"Ya gotta come closer!" Toby insisted.

Tentatively she inched slightly closer and heard a strange hoarse screeching sound coming from the fallen tree. She blanched. "Oh no!"

Toby was blissfully unaware of her unease as he climbed through the branches and reached the hollow in the tree trunk. Before she could stop him, he had peeked inside. "Wow, come see!"

She refused to get any closer. "Don't touch anything!"

Toby let out an exasperated sigh. "Well then come here!"

Very reluctantly Sarah approached the tree and Toby moved over so that she could see.

Inside the hollow were two scrawny, fluffy owlets and three more unhatched eggs. The owlets were hissing and screeching at the intrusion.

Sarah backed away from the tree as fast as she could, glancing at the sky nervously. "Oh no, we'd better get away from here, the parents should be back soon."

"But Sarah, what if the parents got hurt in the storm?"

That gave Sarah pause but she shook her head. "Even if something happened to the parents, we don't know how to take care of them."

"Aww, please Sarah!" Toby's bottom lip stuck out.

Sarah crossed her arms. "You know your mom won't let them in the house!"

Thankfully that seemed to work and Toby jumped down and jogged over to the field where a few young kids were playing soccer. Sarah followed relieved.

...

After the game they walking back towards home they passed the tree again. Toby insisted on peeking in, still no sign of the parents. Looking at the tiny owlets shivering, Sarah's protective instincts kicked in, feathers or no, she knew she had to help.

She brought Toby back home, leaving him with her dad who was watching tv in the den. She pulled out the phone book and searched but there didn't seem to be an animal rescue facility in the area. She needed to go to the library, but when she headed down the stairs Irene was just setting the table, "Lunch is ready."

Sarah wolfed down her pasta in record time. "I just want to check something from the library, I'll be back soon.

She hurried to the library and after finding a book about barn owls she sat down searching for useful information. As Sarah read the more she worried, this was going to be harder than she thought. There was no way she could bring them home. Barn owls ate mice and voles, so how could she feed them? And as she had already observed, they could get very noisy. It would be impossible to keep them a secret from Toby and Irene. Especially when the others hatched.

After researching all afternoon she walked back to the fallen oak, still no sign of the parents. She leaned against the tree, watching the owlets cuddled together for warmth. With their scrawny, patchy appearance they weren't exactly cute but since she had decided that these owls had nothing to do with her ordeal she no longer feared them. In fact she felt protective of them but at the same time helpless, if she didn't do anything they would die. Staring at the sleeping owlets she saw them shiver in their sleep. She didn't even realize that she spoke. "I wish I knew how to help you."

A breeze caused Sarah's hair to tickle her nose. She brushed it aside and froze as her peripheral vision caught a movement. Her heart caught in her throat as a voice she had (hoped? feared?) to never hear again spoke from behind her. "Hello Sarah."

She spun around to see the Goblin King. At first glance he looked exactly as he had that night three years before, a tattered black cloak contrasting his pale face and wild hair. Belatedly she saw that he was not wearing his armour. His ensemble consisted of a loose shirt unlaced exposing his ever present pendant, paired with overly snug black leather breaches tucked into heeled knee high leather boots. He smirked as he noted her appraising him, he regarded her haughtily. "Well, what have we here?"

Her chest tightened in apprehension, without thinking she blurted. "They aren't yours, are they?" She cringed at her bluntness, were those going to be her last words?

A single eyebrow raised at that. "Really Sarah? After three years have you only called on me to be insulting?" As he spoke his eyes trailed over her, as though appraising the changes that three years had wrought.

Blushing furiously she countered. "Well, I have no idea what you are, so it's a fair question!"

He looked down on her, eyes narrowed. "I am a royal Fae and although I can take an animal form when desired, I do not breed in that form."

Sarah shook her head to dislodge the thought of the Goblin King breeding, in any form. Crossing her arms in false bravado she demanded. "So why are you here?"

He tilted his head, as if the answer was evident. "You made a wish."

Sarah almost choked on her sharp intake of breath. She shook her head in denial.

He only gave her a lopsided smile. "Have you already forgotten? Just now, you wished to know how to help these young owlets."

Grasping at the treads of courage she spat. "Okay, so... help them. Leave me out of it."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Ah, but that is not what you wished for." He stepped closer.

"Yes it is, I wished for help for them." She backed up, dismayed to realize that the oak branches fenced her in.

He smirked at her. "No, you wished to know how to help them. I will oblige." Another step.

Sarah leaned back as far as she could against the tree. "And what if I have changed my mind?"

The Goblin King's eyes flickered in amusement. He shook his head. "What's said is said Sarah." Another step.

She rolled her eyes, still trying to meld with the branches. "Okay, so tell me, how do I help them?"

He finally paused, only a step away from her. "First I must make some preparations, return to your home and I shall meet you in three hours."

She glared at him, suspicions flaring. "You can't have Toby!"

He reached over and lifted her chin with one gloved finger. "Believe me Precious, I have absolutely no designs on your brother."

Pushing his hand away she glared. "Don't call me that!"

He only smirked at her. "Well then... Sarah, I shall return to grant your wish in three hours. Do not keep me waiting." In a puff of glitter he was gone.

Sarah blinked at the empty space several times then hurried home, her mind a flurry of questions and second guesses.

...

Irene was just getting back from the store. Sarah helped her bring in the groceries and chop up some vegetables for a salad while Irene battered some fish filets and put them in the oven.

Sarah's mind kept returning to the Goblin King and their conversation. Trepidation filled her, what had she gotten herself into?

"Ouch!" Sarah looked at a small cut on her finger, chopping while distracted was not a good idea.

Irene checked her finger and sent her to go clean and bandage it.

Supper went by quickly and soon it was time to put Toby to bed, as usual he was refusing to go to sleep without a story. She sat on the edge of his bed. "Hey kiddo, what kind of story do you want tonight?"

Toby hugged Lancelot, bouncing with excitement. "Another story about the goblin who found the hat!"

Sarah sighed, she needed to hurry. She did not want to aggravate her childhood villain further by being late. "Okay, so, the goblin was so happy to have found a new plumed hat, but then a fox with an eye patch came up to him, sword drawn, proclaiming "Have at thee brigand!"...

...

Once Toby was asleep she slipped out of his room and opening the door to her room Sarah jumped, The Goblin King was waiting for her, lounging on her bed lazily. She quickly shut the door behind her in case Irene passed by. Looking at her bedside clock she winced, it had been three hours and 13 minutes.

Trying to portray bravery that she did not feel she demanded. "So, tell me, what's your plan to help the owlets?"

In an instant he was beside her, a crystal in his hand. "Ah, but showing is much more fun!"

Before she could react he placed the crystal in her hand. Reality twisted and Sarah wasn't in her room anymore.

...


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah opened her eyes only to close them immediately, a wave of dizziness threatening her balance. Slowly tried again, her vision settled but seemed magnified, the details were too sharp. The light was dim but she could make out that she was in a hole of some kind. An oubliette? No, there was an opening right across from her, she could see branches waving in the breeze. She was about to go investigate when she felt something soft graze her back and spun around. She almost jumped out of her skin as she saw the owlets beside her, but they were the size of large dogs!

Panicking she tumbled away from the oversized fluffballs and put up her hand as a flimsy barrier. Except that it wasn't her hand that she saw. She saw long white and tan...feathers.

Sarah began hyperventilating, rushing towards the opening. Once there she screeched to a halt, the hollow was very high up in an oak tree. She was trapped. She tried to scream for help but the only sound that escaped her throat was an harsh shriek.

_This has to be a nightmare! Wake up Sarah!_

An amused voice spoke directly in her head. _Ah but my dear, one can not awaken from what is not a dream._

Sarah's eyes shot up in time to see another owl was descending towards the hollow. She scrambled out of the way, backing herself against the side of the hollow, away from the owlets.

The new owl folded his wings and entered, looked her up and down and then actually winked at her.

Sarah glared. _Goblin King I presume?_

The voice in her head chuckled.

_Why are you doing this?_

He tilted his head, eyes wide in a semblance of innocence. _Fulfilling your wish._

_This is not what I meant and you know it!_

The owl-fae shrugged but his mind voice was smug. _As the wish granter I am free to interpret the wish as I see fit, you did not specify._

She tried to shake her fist at him, but only waved a wing awkwardly. _But I can't be an owl!_

He raised his head, Sarah could picture his raised eyebrow. _Oh but you are! And you shall be for... shall we say, approximately nine weeks... give or take a few days._

_Nine weeks! I can't disappear for nine weeks! I have a human life! A family! ... And I don't know how to fly or hunt... and you can't expect me to eat mice?_

The chuckle resonated in her head again. The owl Goblin King stepped back to the opening and retrieved a small mouse. He approached the owlets and tearing the mouse in two presented it to the owlets, who gobbled it greedily and then promptly went back to sleep.

Sarah averted her eyes, trying not to lose her dinner.

The Goblin King turned his attention back to her and tilted his head towards the eggs.

 _I guess I don't have a choice, do I?_ Sarah glared daggers at him but begrudgingly installed herself on the motley nest. It was a lumpy seat, and a wiggly one, with the owlets and their unhatched siblings snuggled together for the warmth.

She looked up just in time to see her captor hop up to the opening, about to fly away. She panicked. _Wait! Where are you going? You can't leave me alone here! I don't know what to do!_

He turned towards her. _Keep them warm, we shall discuss further instructions tomorrow._

And then he was gone.

Sarah got up and looked outside, the thick foliage obscuring any possible landmarks. She didn't even know if she was still in the park or in the Underground. From the absence of glitter she could hope she was still in the park but it really didn't make much of a difference in her current position.

Plopping herself back on the nest she fumed, despite there being no locks or bars on her prison she was truly trapped! She spent the next few hours imagining dozens of ways to get back at the insufferable Goblin King.

...

She must have finally nodded of because when she was roused by a sound just outside, the brightness in the hollow indicated that it was early morning.

A shadow appeared in the opening. _Rise and shine Precious_. In his owl form he couldn't smirk, but she could hear it in his voice.

_What do you want?_ She glared. 

__

__

_She heard him chuckle. Don't you want to go home?_

Sarah blinked. _Home? But you said..._

He nodded. _Yes, you will tend to these young until they are fledged. But you will also go about your life as normally as possible._

Sarah eyed him warily. _But...how?_

_Simple. I will send you back to your room before you are missed. You will go about your morning routine as usual. Then you will tell your family that you are going out for the day. You will walk to the park and meet me at the fallen tree. You will tend to the nest until it is time for your evening meal. You will sup with your family and then go back to your room where I will collect you._

Sarah was about to yell at him when she remembered something. _But who will tend the nest while I am gone?_

He bowed, a wing over his chest, which was actually quite a cute gesture in his owl form. _Yours truly._

_You would do that, for me?_

He tilted his head. _I agreed to help you, did I not? Now, let's not make you late to break your fast._

Sarah felt the world twist again and she was back in her bedroom in her bed as if she had been there all night.

Blinking she wondered if it had all been just a very strange dream. But then she saw the feather laying on her bed spread. Was it his? Or hers? That was an odd thought. She tentatively picked it up and went to her bookcase, pulling out her little red book. She placed the feather between the pages before putting it back and preparing for the day.

Down at breakfast Sarah ruffled her brother's hair before rushing through her toast and coffee and grabbing her purse. "I'm going to spend the day with some friends. I'll be back for supper."

Irene looked up from her baking. "Who are you going with?"

"Oh, just um... some new friends I met at the library yesterday."

Irene arched a brow. "Do these new friends have names?"

Sarah hadn't planned for that question. "Um, Jareth... and... Tyto and Alba."

"Unusual names, are they new here?" Irene's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Uh, yeah, they just blew into town this week."

"Why don't you invite them over here so that we can meet them?"

Sarah tried to stifle the panic at that idea. "Uh, I'll see what I can do."

"Okay... well... Toby don't touch the raw cookie dough!" Irene grabbed the offending dough from Toby's fingers and dragged him over to the sink.

"Bye." Thankful for the distraction Sarah ducked out the door before Irene come up with any more questions.

Walking to the park Sarah was feeling trepidation. She was willingly meeting with the Goblin King, knowing that he had tricked her. But he was helping her care for the owlets. But why? What did he get out of it? Maybe some kind of petty vengeance. But... he was still letting her keep her life. She couldn't make any sense of it.

She arrived at the fallen oak and noticed the barn owl sitting in its branches. He winked and took to the air. She jogged after him, watching in awe at the effortless way he flew. She had always dreamed of being able to fly.

He alighted on a branch of another oak in a more secluded area of the park. He looked around and then drifted down. As he approached the ground his form blurred and shifted. When his feet touched the ground he was in his Fae form. He was smirking at her. "You had no problem dealing with your family I presume."

"Well, it worked for today but we might have to think of a more long term solution. Irene won't mind me spend one day with friends but I'm supposed to be job hunting."

He arched a brow. "Friends?"

She arched a brow right back. "Well I couldn't very well say I was going to meet up with the Goblin King could I? And if I said any of my friends that she knows she might try to check up on me. So I told her that I had made some new friends yesterday."

The Goblin King chuckled. "Clever girl." He paused turning to gaze at her and she felt herself shift, shrinking. She was once again an owl, but she was still on the ground. She flapped her wings at him.

"Patience Precious." He leaned down and picked her up gently. She clicked her beak at him, so tempted to bite him for tricking her with her wish but not wanting to risk him trapping her in owl form. He lifted her up to the edge of the hollow. Without him saying anything, she hopped in and sat on the clutch of eggs.

The Goblin King seemed to approve. "I must return to my duties, I will return at noon."

Sarah just prayed that if he was going to bring her some lunch, that it wasn't mice.

...


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah sighed, there was nothing to do. The owlets did nothing except eat and sleep and since Mr Glitterpants had (thankfully) so far taken care of all the feedings, she served about the same purpose as a heated blanket. And she was stuck like this for nine weeks! Although begrudgingly grateful that the Goblin King was letting her keep her life at this rate she'd go mad from boredom before the chicks fledged. She sighed again and then jumped in surprise, one of the eggs had shifted! Jumping off to inspect she found a crack in it and sounds of movement inside.

_What do I do?... Goblin King!_

A moment later a heart shaped face appeared in the opening. Seeing the cause for her panick he chuckled. _Ah little one, we shall meet soon._

The egg kept moving and the crack got larger, the tip of a little beak became visible. Finally a very scrawny, wet, tired looking owlet emerged from the shell.

Sarah watched in wonder, but then panicked again. _What do I do now?_

The owl/Fae hopped down into the hollow and touched the owlets beak with his own, it was suddenly dry, the remnants of the egg had vanished.

 _Keep them warm._ He admonished before hopping out of the hollow.

...

Sarah managed to doze off again, although it was a bit harder with three owlets now mobile and increasingly vocal.

When the sun was high in the sky the Goblin King returned with lunch for them. Sarah's stomach churned at the sight of the two mice in his talons, she turned, away bile rising in her throat.

The owlets however screeched, clamoring for the chunks of mouse that he tore off for them. Once the food was gone, so was he.

Watching him fly off she pouted sullenly. _The jerk traps me here and then ignores me!_

A short time later he returned with something in his talons, he dropped it in front of her. Sarah inspected the colorful package. Peanuts! Awkardly tearing the package open she began to crunch on the contents. Belatedly she remembered her manners. _Um, thanks, do you want some?_

_No, thank you. I have some things I must attend to, I shall come to relieve you at 4:30._

Before she could respond he was gone. She crunched some more peanuts and then clumsily used her beak to fold over the bag, tucking it into a corner for later. She returned to the clutch and settled in for the afternoon.

Some time later, she was nodding off again when she felt something soft nudging her shoulder. She blinked awake to see him gently head butting her. She yawned, _Hi, is it 4:30 already?_

_Not quite, but I have found a solution for your schedule. Hedgewort will tend to the nest for the time we are gone._

_You mean Hoggle?_ She spun around but didn't see him anywhere, instead she saw a small scruffy looking brown owl. He didn't look happy.

She frowned. _Why can't I hear him?_

The Goblin King tilted his head, Sarah could picture a raised brow. _Because at the moment he is thinking expletives at me and I thought to spare you._

Sarah looked at the scowling owl and was tempted to laugh, she could very well imagine Hoggle grumbling at his king when he thought he couldn't hear.

Reality twisted again and she found herself human again, standing among the trees beside a young man. He looked to be about twenty, with short sandy blond hair. He was dressed in a violet dress shirt, open at the neck, paired with dark jeans. His eyes appeared uneven, one ice blue and the other a deep sapphire.

She gaped at him. "Goblin King?"

His head tilted, brow raised. "I know Heckle told you my name, why don't you use it?"

Shrugging she kicked a pebble. "I didn't know if it would be a faux pas," She looked up at him defiantly. "And I thought it best rather to irritate my captor."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Tsk, tsk... now now Sarah. Just this morning you said we were friends."

She crossed her arms. "I said I had to claim you were a new friend to avoid suspicion from my family, not the same thing. Jareth."

He smirked, "We should get going to your appointment."

Sarah sputtered. "What appointment?" But Jareth had already taken her hand and was leading her into town. Sarah yanked her hand back but jogged to keep pace with him. They passed through an older section of town until they came to a faded hand painted sign. The Owls Den. A bell rang as they entered and she was embraced by the scent of old books and wooden furniture. Shelves and shelves of old books lined the stores walls, along with the odd old photo or antique. A few battered but comfortable looking armchairs were placed haphazardly around the room. It was quite homey and quaint.

Out of habit Sarah found herself scanning the shelves for treasures, she gaped at some titles that she had been searching for for ages. "Why have I never seen this place before?"

He looked at her as if the anwer was obvious. "Because it just opened today."

Sarah blinked, "It looks like it's been here for years!"

Jareth smirked and approached the counter where an old brass cash was sitting and rang a bell. Out of a space in the shelves appeared a wizened old man in baggy faded clothes, his spectacles were perched on his head and he walked with a staff. He looked very familiar.

"There you are Henry." Jareth nodded toward Sarah. "Here is the girl."

Henry squinted at her before smiling warmly. "Ah! Young lady! I see that you have found your way back, so to speak."

A high pitched "humph!" drew her attention to an antique brass birdcage in the corner that she hadn't noticed before, within an odd rusty colored parrot was pouting.

She turned back to the old man smiling. "I believe we have met before."

The bird in the cage cawed sarcastically. "Bingo!"

Ignoring the bird Jareth addressed Sarah. "This will be your official place of employment for the next nine weeks. You will report here every morning at nine and leave at five. If anyone ever comes to check on you here, Henry will tap the head of his staff three times and you will appear in the back room. That should be a satisfactory arrangement."

Sarah nodded, but added. "This seems an awful lot of work for you, just to fulfill my wish."

Jareth shook his head. "As I have said, it is up to me to decide how far I will go for a wish. Now, I shall escort you home."

Sarah balked. "That's not really necessary."

"Ah, but your stepmother did inquire of your new friends, should we not put her at ease?" His smile was sly.

Sarah knew that logically bringing the Goblin King to meet her family was on the list of no good very bad ideas, but he had twisted her own words against her. She pursed her lips and followed him out of the bookstore.

As they walked through town back towards her house she remembered who was stuck in the nest. "So, Hoggle did not seem pleased about babysitting."

"Not in the slightest, he assumes that it is some kind of punishment. And he does not yet know that you are you."

"Oh, he couldn't hear me speak earlier."

"No, I had masked both incoming and outgoing sound from him."

"You know, he could just break the remaining eggs to spite you."

"No matter how much he dislikes me he would not smite innocent creatures to spite me and I would never have left them in his care if I thought he would."

"But... he sprayed the fairies!" That had always been something that bothered her when she thought of her trek through the Labyrinth.

Jareth nodded. "Yes and you are fortunate that he does so, most humans are allergic to them. A single bite will not do much harm but a swarm could kill you. He sprays them when there is a runner to keep them from swarming."

That gave Sarah pause, she had never thought of it that way. She examined at her fingertip, it still bore a tiny scar from the fairy bite.

They arrived at her house before she knew it, taking a deep breath Sarah walked in with Jareth at her heels.

They found Irene in the kitchen, she looked up from chopping radishes and beamed. "Sarah, is this one of your new friends?"

Jareth extended a hand, giving a half bow. 'Hello Mrs Williams, I am Jareth ."

Accepting his hand Irene blushed slightly. "Nice to meet you." Her gaze flitted between them, as if trying to sum up their relationship.

Sarah, wanting to get this over with eagerly piped up. "Jareth helped me find a new job!"

Irene transfered the radishes into the salad and began tossing it. "That's nice, where will you be working?"

"Uh, Jareth's uncle has a bookshop in town, he has been looking for someone to help over the summer months."

Irene dribbled some vinaigrette into the mix. "That's wonderful!" She turned to Jareth. "Sarah just loves bookstores, your uncle's only problem might be getting Sarah to work and not read."

"I can imagine." Jareth smirked at Sarah with a twinkle in his eye.

Checking the clock Irene asked. "Supper is almost on the table, won't you join us?"

Sarah cut in, attempting to discretely glare at Jareth. "Isn't your uncle expecting you?"

Blithly ignoring her distress Jareth answered. "I would be honored."

...


End file.
